Aiming apparatus for guns



l 33-240 GQ 193619781 E." SCHNEIDER.

Amma APPARATUS ron Guus.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE y16, |919- Patented De. 7, 1920.

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Il Smil E. SCHNEIDER.l

Mmm; APPARATUS' Foa Guns.

APPLICATION -IILED IUIIE I6, I9I9. 1,361,781 Patented Dee. 7, 1920. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. SCHNEIDER.

AIMING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.

APPLlpATloN man JUNE 16, 1919 1,361,781'. Patented Dee. 7,1920.

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mM-7 Egea' Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

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E. SCHNEIDER. AIMING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.-

sa. @wa-mi EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER & CIE., OF PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

AIMING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.

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Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

Application filed June 16, 1919. Serial No. 304,662.

To all Lu/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EUGNE SCHNEIDER, a resident of Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented a new and useful Improved Aiming Apparatus for Guns, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

It is known that any transverse. inclination of the trunnions of the gun cradle occurring after a gun has been trained and elevated for iring at a determined target, vitiates'the position of the gun barrel both as regards its training and elevation.

In the diagrammatic perspective view shown in Figure l of the accompanying drawings 00- designates the axis, assumed to be horizontal, of the trunnions of a gun. X-Xl represents the horizontal plane of the said axis and Y-Yl represents the vertical plane passing through the axis R-S of the gun barrel aimed at the target, the latter being supposed for the sake of simplicity to be situated in the horizontal plane ISG-X1. S is the end of the gun barrel.

The gun barrel is elevated above the horizontal plane by an angle o: representing' the range elevation which corresponds to the distance (range) of the said target.

'lf' in rotating around the point R in the plane of the figure Y-R-m, the trunnions should become inclined, their axis will take up a position aflw1 in the said plane; the gun barrel will take up the position R-S1. The consequence is that its training on the one hand and its elevation on the other are both wrong.

The training is wrong to the extent of the angle S-R-slz which is inclosed between the original projection s-R and the actual projection sl-R of the gun barrel upon the iorizontal plane X-X1.

The elevation is then-equal to the angle t) which is inclosed between the gun barrel lli-S1 and its projection R-al on the horizontal plane. It. is therefore wrong to the extent oi the angle 61:01--6 which are inclosed between the new position of the gun barrel R-Sl and av straight line R-S3 which incloses the angle a with R-sl.

In order to correct the position o the gun barrel as regards elevation, it is in short necessary to elevate it in its plane of rotation through an angle e, that is to say, by operating the elevating mechanism to bring the gun barrel into the position R--S2 where it will inclose with its projection R-*sz on the horizontal plane X-r 1, the angle of elevation a corresponding to the range of the target.

For the purpose of correcting the position of the gun barrel as regards its training, it is necessary to return it into the plane S-R-s by operating the training mechanism.

Now it is necessary to know exactly at all times, by an automatically given indication, the maneuvers to be effected according to the values of the corrections q and e (or 01 project-ion or" e on the vertical plane passing through the axis of the gun barrel), in such a manner as to be able to carry out the necessary operations without having to make any calculation for the purpose.

- It is known that for the purpose of deterl s 1. l. i

mining the amplitude of the maneuver to be,

performed with the training mechanism, there is usually employed a construction ot' gun carriage comprising a sighting apparatus movably jointed to one ot' the trunnions of the gun cradle by a Cardan joint, one of the axes of which is always parallel to the axis of the gun barrel. A mechanism taking its support from the elevating cradle, allows of uprighting the sighting apparatus in such a manner as to bring it back into a vertical plane which is therefore necessarily parallel to the axis of the Oun barrel.

Nhen the combination S-QR-- of the gun barrel and the axle assumes the inclination Sl-R--xl-l, the sighting apparatus jointed to the trunnion of the gun cradle will likewise become inclined, and its line of sight will cease to be directed on to the target. To correct the training it is sufficient to upright the sighting apparatus around its axis of articulation parallel to R-Sl, then to operate the training mechanism until the line of sight has been brought back on to the target or sighting register mark, that is to say, until it has returned into the original plane S-R-s or into the plane of indirect sighting. In this manner the gun barrel will be returned into its original vertical plane, and will consequently be suitably aimed.

As a matter or" fact, the mere uprighting of the sighting apparatus, that is to say, its return into the vertical position, determines automatically the amplitude of the maneuver to be performed by means of the training mechanism for the purpose of making the correction c.

In gun carriages as hitherto constructed, no apparatus has been provided t'or furnishing a data for the correction corresponding to e to be made in the elevation.

In my copendingapplication Serial No. 304,66() ot even date herewith, there is described an apparatus which gives a practical solution ot the two-told problem ot effecting a correction for training and a correcltion for the elevation. For this purpose the apparatus for reading ott' the range eleva tions is arranged in the actual support ot the sighting apparatus and this support is jointed in a known manner by a Cardan joint to one ot the trunnions of the gun cradle, and is adapted by means oi a suitA able mechanism to be maintained constantly in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the gun barrel. In the case ot an inclination oi'i the gun trunnions it is sutlicient to return the support of the sighting apparatus into the vertical plane by rotation around the axis of the Cardan joint, parallel to the axis of the gun barrel. Owing to this upright ing movement the part of the said apparatus which carries the register mark for reading the range elevations and which is guided in a plane at right angles to the site plane, turns both around the axis parallel to the axis ot the gun barrel and around the second axis of the Cardan joint. The result is an angular diference et position between the register mark and the scale division that was situated opposite the latter this angular dit ference heilig exactly equal to the angle 01, which is a projection upon the vertical plane passing through the actual axis R-Sl oi? the gun barrel of the angle e through which the gun barrel must be elevated in its plane of rotation tor the purpose of correcting the range elevation.

In reality, the improved apparatus described in our atoresaid application for a patent, allows at all times by the mere uprighting ot the sighting apparatus, of making not only the correction e 'for training, but also the correction for elevation corresponding to the angle O1, that is to say, to the projection on a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the gun, ol'l the angle through which the gun barrel must be raised in its` plane of rotation around the axis of the cradle trunnions.

Now it is not always possible to arrange the apparatus tor reading the range elevations in the support ot' the sighting apparatus. More particularly when the known elevating apparatus of the independent range elevation type is employed, the apparatus t'or reading` the elevations is necessarily located relatively to the axis of the gun carriage, on the side opposite to that on which the sighting apparatus is situated.

The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus combined with an aiming mechanism of the independent elevation type, and furnishing automatically the necessary data tor eliecting without calculation the corrections ot' elevation due to the transverse inclinations ot the gun carriage wheeled axle.

A practical construction ot this invention is illustrated by way et example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 2 and 2 are vertical cross sections on the line l-I ot Fig. El through the axis ot the trunnions oi'i the gun cradle ot a gun provided with this invention. Fig. Il shows partly in vertical section and partly in elevation the mechanism comprised between the side plates ot' the gun carriage.

Fig. 3" is a side elevational view showing the apparatus for reading the range eleva tion.

In these figures, A is the carriage cradle ot a gun, ot which a and n? are the trunnions. B is the gun carriage proper. (l is the elevating cradle ot known construction provided with toothed sectors C1 meshing with pinions D mounted on an axle (l journaled in the carriage I3.

The elevatine` mechanism comprises 'for example a nut VC2 formed in the elevating); cradle C, in which there works a screw E carrying a bevel pinion El which latter meshes with a bevel toothed wheel F carried by a shaft f which is journaled in supports fixed to the carriage cradle A..

By operating the shaft y, the screw E is moved in the nut C2, and the gun cradle raised or lowered thereby without affecting the elevating cradle C, the sectors Cl ot which mesh with the corresponding pinions D. By actuating the shatt (l, the elevating cradle C is caused to revolve, and the latter moves with it the carriage cradle A and the gun barrel.

This known construction comprises means (likewise known) that allow of correcting the training position oli' the gun barrel when the trunnions of the carriage cradle are inclined.

The support G of the sighting apparatus is adapted to pivot around an arm H which is in turn jointed to the left hand trunnion av by means of a hinge /1/ parallel to the axis ot the gun barrel. This Cardan joint ot the support Gr allows of returning' the latter' constantly into a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the gun barrel by rotation around the hinge 7L irrespectively of the inclination [3 ot the axis ot the gun carriage trunnions.

The 1n ichanisni for returning the support G into a vertical plane may obviously be of any known tvpe. J[or instance the type illustrated in Fig. 2, which comprises a slide llt) block G1 serving as a nut working on a screw G2 journaled in a prolongation of the elevating cradle C. This slide block has a cylindrical socket g1 in which is engaged a spherical knob g formed on an extension of the support G.

1With a construction of a gun carriage of the known type as hereinbefore described, the apparatus for reading the range elevations is necessarily located on the side opposite that on which the sighting apparatus is situated. Usually this apparatus for reading the range elevations is mounted as hereinbefore stated, for instance, on a shaft, such as the shaft f journaled in the carriage cradle. In all cases, whatever the support of the apparatus for reading the range elevations may be, the range indications furnished by this apparatus, when the axis of the trunnions is inclined, are necessarily incorrect.

According to this invention, the apparatus for reading the range elevations, is movably jointed to the carriage cradle in such a manner as to be capable of being returned at all times in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the gun barrel. In short, it is connected to the gun barrel (separately and on the side opposite that on which the sighting apparatus is situated), by a connection similar to the one provided for the apparatus for reading the range elevations in my above application for patent where the said apparatus is mounted in the support of the sighting apparatus.

For this purpose it may be mounted on an axle I which is itself movable around a pivot J that is constantly parallel to the axis of the gun barrel and is carried for instance by the right hand trunnion al of the carriage cradle A. The elevation indieating apparatus proper comprises a drum K movable around the axle I, but being always constrained by the movements of the elevating cradle C by reason of an extension K1 formed with a spherical head K2 work* ing in a slot guide 0 projecting from the elevating cradle C, and in a plane at right angles to the plane of longitudinal symmetry of the gun carriage.

The drum K carries a pointer 7c on the edge of a window K3 past which there moves a scale marked on the periphery of a range elevation plate L mounted loose on the axle I. The plate L is fixed to a pinion L1 which meshes with a toothed wheel of large diameter M mounted on a small axle m fixed to the drum K. The toothed wheel M meshes in its turn with a toothed ring n formed on a disk N fixed to the axle I. The ratio between the number of teeth of the toothed ring n and the number of teeth of the pinion L1 is so chosen as to suitably multiply the ratio of the angular movements between the gun barreljand the range elevation plate.

Normally, that is to say, when the axis of the trunnions a-al is horizontal, the axle I will be situated in the prolongation of the axis of the trunnions, and the range elevation plate will be vertical.

In such a case, in order to give to the gun barrel the desired inclination corresponding to the range, it is merely necessary to bring' the corresponding scale mark on the plate L opposite the register mark by suitably actuating the shaft f for this purpose. If the target is situated at an eleva-- tion above the horizon, that is to say, in other words, if it has a determined angle of site elevation, the left hand gun server gives the site in the known manner, while the right hand gun server gives the range elevation. l

If the axis of the trunnions a-ctl, instead cf being horizontal, has an inclination as indicated in Fig'. l, the indications due to the range, taken from the plate L, are incorrect. But, in order to ascertain the correction for the range elevation, that is to say, the amplitude of the maneuver to be performed with the elevating mechanism in order to bring the gun barrel into the desired position R-S2 (Fig. l), it will be sufficient to upright the range elevation plate, that is to say, to bring it into the vertical position, which operation will have the effect of producing between the register mark k and the selected scale mark a differ ence of angular position equal to the angle 01 (Fig. l

-If, now, on actuating the elevating mechanism so as to elevate the gun barrel from the position R-Sl (Fig. l) while keeping the graduated plate L vertical, the angle through which the gun barrel will have yet to pass at each instant in order to arrive at the position R-S2, will always be projected upon the plane of the uprighted graduated plate according to the angle inclosed at that instant between the position of the selected scale mark and the angularly shifted register mark icl. In short, the operation for correcting the elevation of the gun barrel, consists in actuating the elevating mechanism in such a manner as to bring the scale mark to 701, while the graduated plate L is being kept vertical.

The correctness of the foregoing state ments can be readily proved by inspecting the diagram shown in Fig'. l. In this diagram it is assumed that the graduated plate L is movably jointed around the straight line R-Sl which is the actual axis of the gun barrel and parallel to the axis .I of the Cardan joint.

The register mark carrier K is shown diagrammatically reduced to a diametrical axis attached to the plate L (shown in full lines) in such a manner as to rotate compulsorily with it around the axis R-S1 which is none other than the axis J ot the Cardan joint, While it is capable of rotating' at the same time around the second axis of the said Cardan joint by beine` `e'uided by the extension H1 in the slot guide c. The latter extends at right angles to the elevatingcradle, and consequently is situated in a vertical plane parallel to the plane Y--l-l-a'f when the target is on the horizon (zero site elevation In the uprighting` movement around ll-S he scale division corresponding to the range oit the target does not move, whereas the resister mark 7,: is forced to rotate around the second axis I ot the Cardan joint, its tail Kl being maintained in the slot e. i

lt is obvious that the lower limb ot the register mark holder ineloses with the tail lil fixed thereto. an angle SOG- oe lVhen the plate is nprightcd, the tail K1 will have occupied the position indicated in dotted lines, and at right angles to the htn'izontal plane X--Xl, it will always inclose With the loiver limb ot the register mark holder (come into the position indie-ated in dotted lines) an angle 90o-Ma, and eonscapiently the register mark holder will inclose the angle a with the projection ll-al ot the plate upon the vertica plane. Aln other Words, the register mark Z which has come into the position 71:1, has been shifted angular-ly through an angle 0`l in relation to the scale division which has remained iixed. It is therefore suiiicient to return the scale mark opposite l by means of the elevating;` mechanism, in order o have elevated the run barrel through the angle s in its plane nl rotation.

ln practice, for uprigrliting the plate around the axle J and maintaining it in the vertical plane passing` through the said axle, the axle l may be provided for instance ivith an arm Il forming* at its end` a cylindrical lodgment for a nut (l ot corresjwnding` shape litted in an arm Q fixed to the trunnion of?. On actuating` the spindle P by means ot' a knurled `knob P1, the axle I and With it the drum l is shifted. In this manner the said drum can be brought back into the vertical plane parallel to the axis of the gun barrel. In view of the fact that in this uprighting` movement the axle I revolves around the joint J in a plane at right angles to the axis ot the 2un barrel, While the drum K, held by the knob K2 in the slide c, revolves at the same time around the axle I, the result is. as has been above stated, to produce a relative displacement between the drum K and the toothed ringr la fixed to the said axle I. ln this movement, the registei mark 7u is shifted through the angle 01 relatively to the scale division ivhich Was situated opposite it.

It this angular shifting is corrected by operating the shalt f in such a manner as to brine' the selef-,ted division ot the scale o'l2 "tee elevations opposite the register man While actuating the Aknob in sui/h a manner as to keep the plate vertical. by observing,V the bubble ol' the spirit level T, the `enn barrel will be made to pass through the anjejle in its plane ot rotation,

At each instant, the angle whirl] has still to be passed through. is indicated on the plate tical) by the angular distance between the selectm'l scale division and the register marl: 7.-..

lt is quite obvious that the joint ,l parallel to the axis ot the `,Qjun barrel, instead ot being carried directly by the trunnions al oi the cradle. may be carried by any suitable support which will be in constant connection with the movements ot the cradle. tor instance by means of a parallel motion.

What l. claim is:

l, ln combination with a gun carriage eradl1 adapted to be elevated and depressed with the elevating' cradle and iinlependently in relation with the latter, a sightingr apparatus having a Cardan joint commi-tion `with the carriage cradle on one side thereot and adapted during;` uprightinp,` to automatically correct tor training' due to transverse inclination o. the trunnions, and rano'e elevation registering' device mounted on the opposite side of said carriage cradle having a Cardan joint connection therewith and adapted duringv uprighting to correct for elevation due to transverse inclination ot the trunnions and adapted to register' sieht elevations as indicated on said sighting appa.- ratus.

in combination With a. Agun carriage cradle adapted to be elevated and depressed with the elevating' cradle and indepeiidently with relation to the latter, ratas havingr a Cardan joint connection with the glun carriage cradle on one side ot the latter, one axis of the joint being parallel. with the gun axis, means on, the elevating cradle iioi' upriglitinp,l the sighting;` apparatus vvhen the cradle trunnions are inf-lined, LLQIQ ,Qldationm,"indicatingm apparatus mounted on the oppositdside ot said cradle eomprisinojz-a Cardan joint havil'ip,` one axis parallel With the eun axis, a register mark holder revolubly mounted on the companion axis, a graduated disk adapted to register With the, holder and having` gear connetions with. said latter axis and with said holder, means for ugrigliting,v said holder, and means carried by the elevating' cradle ttor ,guiding the uprighting movement ot said holder.

3. In combination With a gun carriage cradle adapted to be elevated and depressed with the elevating cradle and indepemlentlj7 in relation with the latter, ,fi/sighting appaot range elevations (that is kept verratus having a Cardan joint connection with the gun carriage cradle on one side of the latter, one axis of the joint being parallel with the gun axis, means on the elevating cradle for uprighting said apparatus when the cradle trunnions are inclined, a range elevation indicating apparatus mounted on the opposite side of said carriage cradle comprising:-a register mark holder and a revoluble disk having graduations adapted to register with that of the holder, said holder having a Cardan joint Connection With said gun carriage cradle, the aXis of one joint In testimony whereof I have signed this 20 specification.

EUGNE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses ANDR MosTIoKnR,

CHAS. P. PREssLY. 

